Caroline's news

Commenting on the announcement today by Transport for London of the agreement of a new contract for the future management and development of the Oyster card system and other ticketing services, Caroline Pidgeon, Liberal Democrat spokesperson on transport at the London Assembly said:

Commenting on the news that North Sheen rail station is to have its pedestrian footbridge restored by Network Rail so that it serves both sides of the Manor Road crossing, Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat Transport spokesperson at the London Assembly, said:

"I am delighted to have been able to work with Susan Kramer and the local Lib Dem Councillors to get top rail people together in Richmond for a summit to thrash out the issues. This is great news for local people and will stop people risking their lives just to get a train.

Caroline recently held an action meeting at Vauxhall Cross with local Lib Dem Cllr Rob Banks and a representative from Viva Vauxhall Residents’ Association. Representatives from Transport for London (TfL), the police and the Public Carriage Office (PCO) attended to talk about the issue of taxi touting in the area and to come up with an action plan to try to tackle this nuisance and dangerous issue.

The following actions were agreed:

• TfL will clarify police powers under the Road Traffic Act 1998 to seize motor vehicles being driven without valid insurance;
• TfL will explore the options of changing the use of the taxi parking places on South Lambeth Place to accommodate Private Hire Vehicle (licensed mini-cabs) drop off and pick up;
• PCO to advise on good practice in other areas such as in Kingston town centre to see if we can persuade Lambeth Council to adopt suitable solutions;
• TfL to establish a problem solving group to tackle taxi touting in Vauxhall. Members to include the local police safer neighbourhoods team; PCO; Metropolitan Police Service cab enforcement unit; local resident representatives; local Private Hire operators.

Caroline Pidgeon AM, London Assembly Liberal Democrat lead on transport, commenting on Transport for London's Ten Year Business Plan, published today, said:

“It is staggering that schemes such as the Cross River Tram, the Croydon Tramlink Extension, East London Transit, Greenwich Waterfront Transit and plans for an Oxford street tram appear to have been scrapped with nothing in their place apart from, perhaps, a few more polluting diesel buses.

Caroline Pidgeon AM, London Assembly Liberal Democrat lead on transport, commenting on Mayor Boris Johnson’s 31-page document “Way To Go”, published today, said:

“There is much to welcome in Way To Go, but it is alarming that key projects like the Cross River Tram and DLR extensions are dismissed as ‘political’ when they have a strong business case and would regenerate disadvantaged communities at a time of economic downturn.